lost & found || Joel Miller

Look For The Light.

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TRIGGER WARNING:
THIS CHAPTER IS VERY, VERY GORY. SORRY LOVES, ILL PUT THIS SIGN ⚠️ SO YOU CAN SKIP AND ILL PUT THIS 🌸 WHEN ITS DONE <3

August woke up in a hospital bed, she felt the warm breeze bustling through the open window, covered in hospital curtains...

It was calm, but August was everything but.

She shot up from her bed, in a panic, the only name on her mind was Ellie. She couldn't remember anything from what had happened, her head was pounding with pain but she needed to find Ellie...Find Joel.

"She's okay," Suddenly someone said, their voice going through her mind like a knife.

August turned to see Marlene, standing in the doorway.

"Where is she?" August repeated, her voice filled with so much anger. I mean, how could she not be? Marlene had her people just separate them and act as if they weren't supposed to be there.

"She's okay."

"You tell me that again, Marlene and I'll punch you."

Marlene's eyebrows raised, "Jesus...He really changed you, didn't he?"

"Tell me where she is."

"She's being prepped for surgery." August dropped her legs to the floor and stared at Marlene, confused.

"Surgery? What surgery?" Marlene looked like she didn't even want to answer her question.

"Our doctor, he says that the cordyceps in Ellie has grown with her since birth."

"Okay?...What does that have to do with the surgery?"

"He said that it makes some kind of chemical messenger, which makes normal cordyceps think that she's one of them. It's what makes her immune. He's gonna remove it from her, multiply the cells in a lab."

"The cordyceps? Take the cordyceps? Is it going to harm her?"

Marlene remains silent.

And it speaks volumes.

"Marlene." August says her name, standing up, as if giving her a warning, "You can't seriously think—"

"He says it could be a cure, August. A cure."

For some reason, August didn't find it in her to care.

"Take me to her." August says.

"I can't."

"Of course you fucking can! What the fuck is wrong with you, Marlene?! What the actual fuck?!"

"She'll finally get to be with her Mom—"

"You left her at my doorstep," August cut her off, stepping closer, "And do you remember what you told me? You told me to protect this little girl like she was my own."

"That's—"

"This is what I'm doing right fucking now. Take me to her."

"No."

August stared at her blankly for a second before she laughed, coldly, "That's fine. Joel's probably halfway over here, he'll get us all out."

Marlene's eyebrows raised, "Joel? August, Joel already left." She laughed and August's heart stopped beating.

"What?"

"We told him what I told you now and he took a car and left to find his brother."

"No..." August shook her head, she couldn't believe a word Marlene was saying, "There's no way..."